Legends of Caldaea
by Lavisca
Summary: This is an ongoing story of the many heroes that emerge in the times of peril in the land named Caldaea. This story is heavily inspired by games such as World of Warcraft and Guild Wars 3, as well as all of the fantasy novels the author has read across her lifetime. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

In this world full of mystery there is much to discover. A world where curses and spells were tangible. A land full of wonders and terrors beyond imagine. For humans, the overcrowding of the many villages and towns that were spread throughout reinforced the advent of exploration and ever more land claiming. It was the human's way, of course. It was no small feat to have one's own settlement. This great land was at siege by the forces of the Malad'hun. Sullen, worn down faces of the travelers of this land had but to encounter the most minuscule forces of them and were left helpless with the devastation at their wake. There will be more talk of them, these creatures that insight awe and fear to any place they pass. For now, we will talk of the forest of whispers and the petite hero to wander from their winding trees.

Many tales have been passed on about the whispering woods of Caldaea. There were the words of centaurs, faes, and elves and other long forgotten creatures that the settlers of that forest communed with. There were small meadows and animal dens all throughout the magical forest. To any beholder of this forest, they thought they were in a heaven, a haven from the tortures of the world. The sun beamed through the canopy of trees and illuminated the forest with a low light even during the height of the day. There were tales of giant trees, mighty ents that rarely spoke. Preferring, rather, to spread their whispers to their brethren in the wind. Ones that guarded people in desperate need of salvation and reprieve from danger. There was also a story about a village that only those with a gentle soul could see. Many of the stories of this land inspired hope. The people who inhabited this forest were very few, usually witches or wizards that enjoyed freely roaming to collect herbs and the many plants only found in this forest for their elixirs.

It was of no surprise that none of the soldiers of the king's cavalry even cast a passing glance at the entryway into the village while marching through the rough path the human's had made through the heart of the forest with poorly laid cobblestones. The entryway was magically sealed to those that would harm the denizens, and it would take a powerful enchantress to dispel. Luckily, the humans of that nature were few and far between and when found were usually friendly. They also favored secrecy as and would not forsake their solemn tenants passed on by their elders.

The village was nestled in a kind of wonderland of that forest, a much different scenery than the dreary swamps and bogs with twisted plants and wildlife of the Caldaean south. There was a lush shining to the grass bathed in a full moon's light. The flowers that would burst to life in the light of day sat closed in slumber, a slick dew dropping slowly from their petals. The dark, old trees with evergreen leaves of a new spring dotted the quiet village here and there. The small dwellings were carved from the trees themselves, and fashioned in such a way that the tree's life was not compromised in the building of such homes.

Galloping along on their armored horses, the knights and the foot soldiers moved noisily down the narrow forest trail, unknowing of the set of eyes watching them beyond the portal. No doubt they were making their way to some poor unsuspecting human village on the other side of the forest. Several of the soldier's held torches to pierce the darkness of the night that had fallen only a few short hours ago. The sight and sounds of their approach was heard by many an animal and was rightfully taken as a signal to flee as quickly as possible lest they be in their cooking pots.

Sitting at her windowsill carved naturally from the wood, staring out into the black, starry night, she pondered of the day that was to come. She had been watching the soldiers ride by with bright glowing green eyes, narrowed at the sight of a familiar sigil on a flag. When it was time for the dawn to slowly rise into view and stir life into the forest, she would be far away from the comforts of familiarity in the woods. Her head was propped up by both of her hands, a cascade of slightly curled silver locks spilled from her shoulders surrounding her arms. It was those locks of hair that foretold of her future. Only those born with silver hair in her village had a destiny of massive proportions. In one of her hands there was a small, brown pipe that was burning low on its contents. The smoke swirled from the window, up to join its brethren, the dark clouds. A small sigh could be heard from her as she drearily wiped an eyelid. She seemed extremely tired, but an anxiousness was over her about the day to come. Tomorrow would be the start of a new journey, a new legacy to unfold. The prime player in all of this was an insomniac. Finally too weary for her brain to analyze anything more, finding herself zoning out on a small caterpillar climbing across the windowsill, she stood up and fell into her bed of leaves to gain a couple of hours sleep before the sun rose to usher in her fate.


	2. Chapter 2: A Sorrowful Goodbye

There was an incessant tweeting of birds, moving the soft cloth drapes that hung to the sides of the window lightly in the wind as they flitted in and out of the room. When the little elf pried her eyelids open to the dawn beaming into ther room she groaned and sat up on her knees a feeling of disdain was over her. "Ugh.. not looking forward to this." She said in a low voice, picking herself up and walking out of her room, still in a weird sack-like nightshirt and disoriented from exhaustion. With another sigh she opened the door to her home and made her way to the springs for a bath.

The springs were clear with shining luminescant colors reverberating from the different colored crystals in varying sizes that were sunken into the pristine white bottom. this sight always calmed her, and allowed her mind to clear. She stripped down to nothingness and sat in the freezing cold spring, which jolted her awake when she washed her face. This was the only thing that would keep her awake. Wetting her long silver hair and bathing, sitting back, elbows propped up by the bank. Suddenly the feeling of a presence nearby made her looked about, finally spotting eyes watching her from the shillouette of a tree. Anger flared in her. "One would think decency would be commonplace amongst our people, but I have been proven wrong once again!" She yelled toward the tree in her native language, her eyes narrowed as she stood up, the crystals and drops of water flinging from her suddenly, growing dim as though sad that she had moved. Throwing on her nightshirt and trotting away she growled out a warning to the intruder, wringing out her hair as she ran out of view from the pervert.

Finding herself once she was safely back inside her home, she sat down on a small stool and began flinging some things into a small traveling sack. "Of all days, why this one." She looked up and stared into the eyes of a quaint young elf sitting back on her one other stool for visitors, staring intently at her. "You know I can't change fate." She replied to his longing looks, stuffing something else into her bag. "I know, I know.." He had a look of sadness about him as he stood up, keeping his distance from her. "This day was foretold long before I or you were even conceived in the eyes of Nataru.." Not another word was said between the two, it was a very sad day for the both of them. Despite ther strong bond they were destined to be apart. After she was done talking she gently stood up and walked to the man that she had known all of her life, laid a gentle kiss upon his lips and then strode out of the door, not letting him see the luminescant tears streaming down as she walked.


	3. Chapter 3: On the Wings of a Phoenix

The white haired elf made her way into what was the equivalent of the town square. It was a beautiful sight. A grand stone pillar jutted up into the trees, and surrounding it were smaller stone figures filled with pools of water from the Crystalline lake. Even then their luminescence was brilliant. Small butterflies were attracted to the small purple, white, and blue wild flowers that had sprung up near the stone. And outward from that, it was finely raked and maintained soil by the mystics and townspeople.

The elf knew that Mosenai would be there, waiting for her. He was standing directly infront of the stone pillar, his solemn gray eyes staring wisely at her as she approached. His long black hair billowed around him, as did his long finely made robes. There were a handful of others standing and watching, waiting. "Young one..." He said, "The day has come for your departure from this place." His voice was deep and soothing, and it had been this voice that she had grown up with all of her 50 years of adolescense. He had trained her hard, but always somehow managed to keep that calm and gentle mantra about him. Though he was not her father, he was the closest thing to one that she had ever known. She bowed her head as he placed both of his hands gently on her shoulders. "Today... We shall undertake the prophecies of our ancestors." He gave a small resigned smile, you could feel the sorrow in the old man's heart, emanating from him as he spoke. "Mosenai-sai, do not fear for me, for you have trained me well..." She spoke softly, the tears still flowing from her eyes. "Do not cry little Lynthala. I have a gift for you..." Lyn looked up into his smoldering green eyes, watching the smoke lift from them. Smoke began pouring from her own, and she gently nodded, wiping the tears away. He gently lifted the object that had been propped against the stones. "It is Vol'Tethe, a long bow I have been working on since the beginning of your tutelage. Its wood carved from the trees of this land, and the feathers adorned are from the phoenix Volenthis."

A look of shock came over Lynthala. "He allowed you to take his shedded plumage? What a marvelous thing, Mordenai-sai.. You are truly a great master." She said, her hand gravitating to the handle of the finely made bow. "With this, you can infuse your magick into it, and shoot fires of the phoenix flames. I hope you never have to use this power, but, it will be most inevitable." She took the bow up and just stared at it, it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. He also handed her a quiver of arrows, which she quickly strapped to her back. "Mordenai-sai... You grace me with your wisdom and honor." She strapped the bow to her back and bowed graciously at him. "Now, your journey can truly begin.."


End file.
